When Lane Kiffin was hired by USC in 2010 I wrote a column celebrating how fortunate this move was for the rest of what was then the Pac-10 Conference. Believed in my bones that Kiffin wouldn't be the right guy for anyone other than those who might benefit from USC struggling.

Kiffin's hire was good for Oregon and Oregon State. Good for everyone... except the Trojans. Kiffin arrived at USC with a 12-21 record as a head coach.

Kiffin was fired after USC's 62-41 loss to Arizona State on Saturday.

Now what for USC?

There's a lot of discussion about Jack Del Rio, who is busy running the Denver Broncos defense. Del Rio has said that he'd stay on the job and finish this NFL season no matter what. And he should. But what's at stake for USC isn't just a hire, but it's legacy.

The Trojans have 11 national championships, and have had more players (475) selected in the NFL Draft than any university in America. They've had 77 first-round NFL picks alone, best among all colleges. This program has had seven players awarded the Heisman Trophy, and produced 78 consensus All-Americans. But with Kiffin clowning around the halls, it's been reduced to the stuff of Wile E. Coyote.

USC will expect that it can hire someone such as Del Rio and restore what was lost. But can they? Is the conference playing field permanently altered? Has the $21 million in annual television revenue that everyone in the conference receives turned it into a level playing field?

Can USC get back on top? And how long might that take?

I think it's a much different landscape, and a tougher road. When Oregon pulled De'Anthony Thomas out of SC's backyard, it was a huge tell. I can't see recruits in Los Angeles immediately embracing USC with UCLA enjoying a resurgence and Oregon and others busy poaching the region.

I'm not sure the NFL success of the past reaches recruits as much as the message they're receiving right now. Also, the loss of scholarships killed the program. I spent a portion of Saturday night's Cal-Oregon game with recruits, and wrote a column on how Oregon is parlaying its success into its future.

USC has some inherent advantages --- but how far behind are they right now? Can they overcome Kiffin quickly? At all?